Puppy Raising a future super-star Service Dog with compassion and joy.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

The first hours

Haddie rode in the kennel on the way home, yelping only once as we began to move, perhaps thinking she was going to take off again with a jet engine. She settled quickly and fell asleep - per our kiddos looking behind the backseat repeatedly.

We had Cora in her kennel in our bedroom upstairs when we left the house this morning. It was the perfect place for her when we arrived home, as both dogs were out of sight and out of mind of one another. She did not make a peep - even though we forgot to close the bedroom door, and our house is not that large, nor sound proof.

Haddie explored, and took frequent breaks outside. She was showing off her knowledge of sit and hurry with ease. It was a welcomed surprise. We stuck to those two commands throughout the day, adding her name recognition which is not consistent just yet.

She met a hand-full of neighborhood kids that were eagerly awaiting her to wake up from her first nap. They rang the doorbell only a few times (wink), but that did not seem to bother Haddie, who was upstairs in our Bonus Room. She did go through spurts of whimpering, but we left her alone and she would settle herself down after stretches of on again, off again noise making.

While Haddie was in her kennel with the door shut to the Bonus Room, Cora was out exploring. Eventually the two will meet, but not today. She sniffed the entire house, and would keep running back upstairs to check the door where the puppy noise was coming from. But she never barked, and she didn't scratch the door like she usually does when a door is closed. It could be a sign that she could care less, or that she was freaked out by the noise from the other side of the door, and really wasn't ready to find out!

Cora did, however, get a plush rabbit toy from us and a cute blue monkey that squeaks from my parents. Cora decided the blue monkey was the perfect toy to run through the house with squeaking over and over and over. I guess she is letting that "thing" behind the Bonus Room Door know that She is the four legged in charge around here.

Haddie and I spent a lot of time exploring our backyard. She seemed to gravitate towards the outdoors. She eventually settled into the grass and just looked at me. And then her eyes got droopy. And then she closed them all the way. It was time for another kennel nap. This time, she did not make a peep when I closed the door and left. Yay!

Highlight: I vacuumed our piano room after some rearranging this afternoon; to accommodate a bed and tie-down for Haddie while I teach lessons. The highlight was that the ...
Vacuum + Haddie = Success!

Our Beagle

CoraBorn March 24, 20052005 National ChampionBred by Talbot Hill Beagles

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

Hebrews 12:1

The impact of your life is the only thing that will last forever.

Pastor Keith Carpenter

I expect to pass through this life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.

William Penn

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.

~ William James

Nothing says love like your presence and time. Pastor Keith Carpenter

Practice is the hardest part of learning, and training is the essence of transformation.